Cinderella (1950)

Rating: 4.95/5

Cinderella continues Disney's magic through its wonderful storytelling, music, and animation.

Cinderella's life was turned upside down when her father remarried. Her misfortune continued when he died and she was left in the care of her stepmother and two stepsisters. Her stepmother, Lady Tremaine, despises Cinderella and has forced her to become the house servant and live up in the attic. Such a miserable life would be sure to defeat almost anyone, but Cinderella is able to keep her spirits high through the help of her animal friends, and the hopes that her dreams and wishes will soon come true.

As much as I love Disney's Snow White, I have to say that I enjoy Cinderella just a bit more. Though Cinderella is shorter in runtime compared to Snow White, it feels like a more fully developed story. In Cinderella, the prince is more than a character that just makes an appearance at the beginning and end of the story. We are given a look into his life at the palace and his family, making him a more well rounded character. He still isn't as thought out as later prince appearances are, but he's a glimpse into how Disney would transform and transition their stories in the future.

As far as memories go, I have a very strong one of watching Cinderella when I was little. For me, it wasn't so much the princess or the fairy godmother that attracted me towards this movie, it was her mice friends. I absolutely loved Gus Gus and Jaq, they made me laugh when I was younger, and they still do today. Disney has a knack for the quirky four-legged sidekick, and you can really see that trend begin in this film.

What I love about the older Disney classics, is how the animation is never the same. Each story develops its own life through the different styles of the artists' illustrations, and it completely adds to the tone and feel the viewer takes from the movie. If you look back at these types of films, though they may look somewhat similar, none of them have the same artistry. That's something I think has been lost a bit as we've gotten into the world of CGI, so it can be very refreshing to go back and revisit films like this one. Cinderella's look is just as beautiful as the music within it.

Cinderella may be Disney's most famous film from their "classic era". It's what people think of when they talk about their fairy-tale weddings and the castle is probably the first image that pops into people's minds when they think of Disney World. It is a story that has been retold and remade countless times, and it's because it's such a timeless tale. There are so many versions of it, and some that are on my list of favorite films, but few compare to this one. There's something special about starting 1950's Cinderella. The movie begins, you hear the music, and you are transported back in time.